Mena Today

Iraq has officially reopened the Qaim border crossing with Syria for trade and passenger traffic, a spokesman for the Iraqi border authority said on Saturday, marking a key step in efforts to normalise relations and revive economic ties between the two countries.

Oman, acting as a key mediator in nuclear discussions between the United States and Iran, announced on Saturday that the anticipated talks between the two nations will not take place as planned.

With Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv currently closed, many travelers in Israel are left stranded, unable to depart the country. The timeline for the airport’s reopening remains uncertain and will largely depend on the ongoing conflict with Iran.

Ukrainian forces have stopped Russian troops advancing in the northeastern Sumy region and are now battling to regain control along the border with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.

Iran and Israel traded missiles and airstrikes on Saturday, the day after Israel launched a sweeping air offensive against its old enemy, killing commanders and scientists and bombing nuclear sites in a stated bid to stop it building an atomic weapon.

Egyptian authorities have blocked a convoy organized by the Global March to Gaza, detaining several dozen pro-Palestinian activists outside Cairo for hours, according to the group’s organizers. Some were released, but others remain in custody.

Jordan officially reopened its airspace on Saturday morning, following a temporary closure due to heightened military activity between Israel and Iran.

Let’s face it. Israel is fighting alone. This is not a war of choice—it’s a war of necessity.

Iran's strikes against Israel will continue, with targets set to expand to include U.S. bases in the region in the coming days, Iran's Fars news agency reported on Saturday, citing senior Iranian military officials.

Iran said the dialogue with the U.S. over Tehran's nuclear programme is "meaningless" after Israel's biggest-ever military strike against its longstanding enemy, but said it is yet to decide on whether to attend planned talks on Sunday.

Israel's surprise attack on Iran had an obvious goal of sharply disrupting Tehran's nuclear programme and lengthening the time it would need to develop an atomic weapon.

Explosions were heard over Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as sirens sounded on Friday night across Israel following what the country's military spokesman said was the firing of missiles from Iran.